Many people can recognize great style, whether it be in fashion or interiors, but few can actually describe their own personal style. Personal style comes from our personalities. Whether we are happy go-lucky or serious and analytical, this can be demonstrated with how we dress and how we decorate our homes.
When designing your home, it should reflect your own personal style and personality. Don't just buy what someone else has, or follow what is exactly laid out for you in the catalogue. The way you dress and the way you decorate should match your personality. Dig deep to discover what your personal style is.
If someone is very outgoing and free-spirited they should have brighter colors in their home and not follow the traditional rules. If someone is very quiet and easy going their house should be decorated in calm colors and simple furniture. Make sure to consider everyone who is living in the home when decorating. Try to blend the personal styles of everyone in the space. This is where it gets difficult because we all know, opposites attract. Take me for example, I am girly, love the city, and love French provincial antiques and my husband is a drill bit engineer who likes to hunt and fish and be out in the country. So, I had to mesh our two personalities in our home. I got the antiques but paired them with a cowhide rug. Looks great and reflects who we are.
Try to decorate your home in a way that reflects your personality and sense of style. Now, many of you are probably saying, "but I have no style", or "I don't know what my style is." First of all, we all have a personal style. It comes from our personality and everyone has one, no matter how dull it might be. For most, you probably just don't know what your personal style is. So, how do you figure it out!
First of all, do a personality assessment. One that I like in particular is the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator Personality test. You can find a similar test here: Personality Test There is also one on facebook if you're into that sort of thing.
Secondly, think of things that you like. Certain restaurants or food, certain clothing stores, hotels, magazines, etc. Why do you like those things? What is it about that store that you like?
Thirdly, look through magazines and pull pictures of things that you like. Colors, furniture, clothing, accessories, fabrics, etc.
And lastly, put it all together.
For example, I am a ENTP. Here are some of the descriptions:
Enterprising, Outspoken and Creative.
ENTPs are usually verbally as well as cerebrally quick, and generally love to argue--both for its own sake, and to show off their often-impressive skills.
ENTPs are as innovative and ingenious at problem-solving as they are at verbal gymnastics; on occasion, however, they manage to outsmart themselves.
ENTPs are nothing if not unique. Brave new associations flow freely from the unconscious into the world of the living. Making, discovering and developing connections between and among two or more of anything is virtually automatic. The product of intuition is merely an icon of process; ENTPs are in the business of change, improvement, experimentation.
This is my personality. The way I dress tends to reflect this. I like bright colors and bold fashions. I like to be trendy and current, but I always like to stand out in the crowd and be unique, usually by breaking some sort of fashion rule or set way of thinking.
This is reflected in how I decorate by the use of bright colors, eclectic mix of furniture and unexpected pieces of visual interest. I also have many things that I have made or changed in some way. I am hands on and am always re-arranging things. I like change and I like the unexpected.
I hope all of this explanation helps you to see the relationships that are between your personality, the way you dress and the way you decorate your home.
Now for some visual explanation:
Girl #1 Classy, Understated Elegance, Non-Traditional, a Pop of Color and Intelligent, Timeless
Girl #2 Bold, Creative, Unexpected, Original, Whimsical, Underlying Femininity and Unconventional
What's your personal Stye?
~Jessica
